Different Pattern Companies

I'd have to beg to differ there. For years I drafted my own patterns, but you still have to know how to read the wrinkles. However, PMB does mean you don't have to correct for sizing that's way off or for individual manufacturers' idiocyncrasies.

I'm still buying commercial patterns, even though I have PMB. But it's stuff like the Origami Skirt and Two Skirt from SewingWorkshop, and Miyake patterns with weird extensions and construction methods - stuff that I wouldn't have a clue how to construct without either a pattern. It's true that I don't see myself buying any basic kind of pattern again, though, having got PMB.

:) Trish

LOL! Tell 'em it's handmade, not homemade.

:) Trish

And that was exactly what I was speaking to Karen about -- that if she gets PMB, that will give her a pattern that fits closely enough that she won't necessarily need an advanced degree of pattern alteration skills to learn how to take a "perfect figure" sized pattern and make it fit a real-life-shaped body.

No, no. That's not the point. What I learned most from the sewing NGs is that there *is* a difference between handmade and homemade.

Homemade is what my mom did -- her theory of sewing was "buy the cheapest thing that will do and use it."

Handmade puts an emphasis on quality of materials, quality of contruction, and quality of fit.

I don't use a dressmaker's form because I don't have one. The folks who made the program have a photo album and chat list for users of the program, and if you have a mis-fitting garment you can post pics and they will give you their advice on what to change to get it to fit.

Definitely don't have a "perfect figure" anymore, unfortunately. I do feel the need to try to master at least some of the alteration skills, though.

Unfortuantely, I came home from a hard week of camping (and got stinkin' poison ivy, to boot! Couldn't find a tube of Zanfel anywhere in the area!) and found

Karen C./KY

That's what Melinda said a while back. I'd rather have them just compliment the outfit and not think it was homemade OR handmade .

Karen C./KY

Yeah, that would be ideal. I'd settle for people assuming it was a RTW garment. (The folks I know probably wouldn't likely know there was such a person, anyway!)

Karen C./KY